I did a "migrant watch" from the platform and boardwalk at Robert Moses State Park from 6:50 to 8:20 this morning. Among the passing birds, the highlights were 3 Red Crossbills (2 at about 7:00 and one about 15 minutes later), with characteristic call notes and shape (large head and bill, short tail), and no white in the wing.
Other passing passerines included 270 Pine Siskin, 170 American Goldfinch, 160 American Robin, 200 Red-winged Blackbird, 20 American Pipit, 2 Purple Finch, 5 House Finch, and ca. 100 Spinus sp. In nearby vegetation there were several Red-breasted Nuthatch and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. During the following 3/4 hour, while I was elsewhere in the park, flocks of siskins, goldfinches, and Red-winged Blackbirds continued to pass by. A Pine Warbler was feeding on the lawn and shrubs east of the park headquarters near the underpass. There was little migratory movement in evidence over the ocean; occasional flocks of scoters passed by in both directions, and gannets appeared to be foraging, with no consistent directional movement. I cruised through Captree State Park at 9:20-9;35, and did not see the Common Ground Dove. After checking the Cedar Beach area, I returned at 10:30 to Captree, where one birder had briefly seen the Ground Dove shortly before. Douglas Futuyma Stony Brook, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
